The Detroit Auto Show Will Reportedly Move to June in 2020

Could this be what the show needs to regain its relevance?

The typically-frigid North American International Auto Show in Detroit is in the final stages of a planned shift from being held in the depths of January to the warmth of June, according to new reports in both the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. The first June NAIAS is expected to be the 2020 show with an official announcement expected later this month.

The Detroit auto show moving on the calendar is something that’s been rumored for a while now. It’s no secret that the annual event has been quickly losing its relevanceh wit several major car brands pulling out of the show recently. A few of the 2019 no-shows include BMW, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda, and more.

Although it wouldn’t be a big surprise for the show to change its schedule, it’s still a pretty big deal. The Detroit auto show has been the headline event in the U.S. auto industry for about a century. But in an age when unveilings of new models can be done from anywhere to a huge digital audience, the old school Detroit show just isn’t that important anymore. There’s also the fact that nobody wants to go to Michigan in January.

By moving the show to summer, the organizers are hoping to make it more of an outdoor event. Detroit is a much more pleasant place to be outside in June than it is in January. The Detroit News said the show’s new date is designed to make it “the cornerstone of an outdoor automotive celebration around Cobo Center and other downtown landmarks.” With Detroit's revival in full swing, the city’s biggest annual event is hoping to be a part of that.